Word to the VPs of Enterprise Sales: Onboarding your service into the prospective client's enterprise environment is not the client’s main thing. Their main thing is not your tech. Their main thing is maintaining and securing existing critical business systems and system data and system interdependencies on behalf of their company.
So stop beating on your account execs because they can't change that fundamental reality. These women and men are continually hustling, staying positive despite overwhelming odds, competing for an outside chance of integrating your product into sophisticated, complex, interdependent, tuned production environments.
But you. You just can't be patient. You're giving your sales teams six months to close an enterprise deal. That's why it's the third or fourth rep on the account who actually books the sale.
The realistic deal gestation period is more like 18 months. Yeah, 18 months. Think baby elephant. *
You still believe it should only take six months to close this deal? C'mon. That's how long it takes to organize an on-site demo. Why so long, you ask? Because the customer is busy with more urgent work. What can make it happen sooner? Definitely not high pressure tactics.
You’re losing deals because you can’t cope with the reality that it could take a year to arrange for a meaningful proof of concept. And btw: a proof of concept agreement does not signify “Deal Pending,” only “Under Consideration.” Give the sales team props for getting a potential deal to a POC.
What's that you say? You're offering once-in-a-lifetime end-of-quarter pricing? Please… If you're offering a deal at quarter end, I'm going to expect the same deal at beginning or middle of a following quarter. Don't put your lead on the account in that position. It's uncomfortable for both of us.
And regarding budget. Sorry to disappoint, but there is no vendor ATM machine at my company that I can walk up to, swipe my badge, and dispense a PO for your hosted or on-prem service.
Think about it. Why would we brute force our budgeting, purchasing, T&C negotiation process just to cut a deal with you? Your technology just isn't that awesome.
To recap: Keep expectations dialed into six months if you're interested in short-lived wins that will fizzle. But re-calibrate for 18 months if you're interested in long-term, trusting business relationships with your enterprise customer.
Baby elephant.
[* credit to Lina Parness for the metaphor]